The new 12-hour flight will run daily operated by a 235-seat Airbus A330-200, with the Sydney leg of the journey timed to coincide with Qantas’s domestic routes to Melbourne, Brisbane and Hobart along with its New Zealand services.

“It’s the perfect time for Qantas to fly to Beijing,” said Qantas CEO Alan Joyce. “The China-Australia Free Trade Agreement is hitting its stride and China is on track to become the number one source of visitors to Australia within the next year or so.

“For Chinese travellers, our message is that there’s no better way of getting to know Australia than with the national carrier. In the business market, this route gives our companies the ability to win new business and get their products and services into the market.”